WO2008020536A1

WO2008020536A1 - Wireless communication system and its method, and device and program used for same

Info

Publication number: WO2008020536A1
Application number: PCT/JP2007/064642
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yumi Hirano
Original assignee: Nec Corporation
Priority date: 2006-08-15
Filing date: 2007-07-26
Publication date: 2008-02-21
Also published as: KR20090039769A; US8498266B2; JP5067581B2; TW200816835A; US20100014495A1; KR101299382B1; CN101548569A; JPWO2008020536A1; TWI404435B

Abstract

Wireless LAN base station devices (107 to 109) monitored by a wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105) send wireless LAN base station information on themselves to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105). A combined wireless terminal (110) which is to start communication requests the wireless LAN base station information on connectable wireless LAN base station devices. The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device (105) sends information on whether or not there is any connectable base station device and, if any, the connectable wireless LAN base station information according to information acquired from the combined wireless terminal (110) having requested the wireless LAN base station information via a 3G network (102). The combined wireless terminal (110) having received the wireless LAN base station information determines whether or not to set up a connection to a wireless LAN network (103) from the wireless LAN base station information.

Description

Specification

Technical field of radio communication system and method, and apparatus and program used therefor

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a radio communication control system and system, and more particularly to a radio communication control system, apparatus, and system in which a terminal device that can be connected to a plurality of radio communication networks can efficiently select a communication network.

Background art

[0002] In recent years, in addition to a wireless communication network that has a low but wide cell range and can be connected anywhere, such as a 3G network, the cell range is narrow! Composite wireless terminal devices that can be connected to networks such as networks have emerged.

[0003] An example of this type of wireless base station apparatus and wireless terminal apparatus that has been conventionally considered is described in Patent Document 1. It is used to easily implement inter-system handover without increasing the load on the wireless terminal device. As shown in Fig. 1, it consists of a composite wireless terminal device and a plurality of network base station devices. A system having this configuration operates as follows. The base station device of the 3G wireless communication network periodically acquires location registration information of the base station device of the wireless LAN network. Also, the terminal device obtains the location information of the wireless LAN base station device from the 3G communication network base station device, and obtains the band occupation status of the wireless channel in the corresponding wireless LAN base station cell by scanning by wireless LAN communication.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-269109 (FIG. 1, paragraphs 0023 and 0024)

Patent Document 2: JP 2005-086471 A

Disclosure of the invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

[0004] The problem is that wireless LAN communication places a heavy burden on terminal devices. This is because wireless LAN communication consumes more power than low-speed communication such as 3G network communication in exchange for high-speed communication. The problem of power consumption is a particularly big problem for portable wireless terminal devices. The power consumption during communication and the power consumption during communication become problems. “During communication” here refers to communication that is linked to the application, in addition to communication related to communication control such as scanning, and refers to communication such as data communication and voice communication.

[0005] The scanning of the wireless LAN base station is periodically performed. In addition, communication packets related to scanning are not particularly large, and only a few packets are required. In this case, it is useless from the viewpoint of power saving to use a high-speed network such as a wireless LAN. As a patent document that solves such power consumption by scanning, in Patent Document 1, the location information of the wireless LAN base station is acquired by the terminal device via the 3G communication network base station device, but the wireless LAN base station Since the bandwidth occupancy status in a cell is acquired by scanning in wireless LAN communication, waste of power consumption due to scanning of wireless LAN base stations cannot be completely eliminated.

[0006] Even during communication, because the packet size is small, the amount of data to be transmitted at one time is small and it is not necessary to be high speed, or even in another network, the cost is light and the load is high. If you connect to a wireless LAN network without communication, you will not be able to take advantage of the features of wireless LAN, such as high speed and low cost, and waste will occur from the viewpoint of power saving. Therefore, at the start of communication, whether to connect to a wireless LAN network or 3G network is determined based on the viewpoint of bandwidth occupancy, required quality, power saving, etc. in the wireless LAN base station cell. Need to be judged.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention was invented in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object thereof is to determine the position and bandwidth of a connected wireless LAN base station that is wireless and that the AN terminal device does not directly scan the wireless LAN base station. It is to acquire information and reduce power consumption by scanning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and apparatus for selecting an appropriate wireless LAN network so as to connect to a wireless LAN network only when taking advantage of the wireless LAN. It is only to operate the wireless LAN transceiver and reduce the power consumption during communication.

Means for solving the problem

[0009] The present invention for achieving the above object is a wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which the wireless terminal can connect And obtaining means for obtaining communication quality information related to the communication quality of the mobile station, and judging means for judging whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information. And

[0010] The present invention that achieves the above object relates to a wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and relates to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which the wireless terminal can be connected. An acquisition means for acquiring communication quality information via a communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network; and a power for the wireless terminal to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information. And determining means for determining.

[0011] The present invention that achieves the above object is a wireless communication system, an acquisition means for acquiring communication quality information related to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network, and a base in the predetermined wireless communication network A server having means for transmitting communication quality information of a base station connectable to the wireless terminal to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network; Receives communication quality information of a base station in the predetermined wireless communication network via a wireless communication network other than the wireless communication network, and connects to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information! And a wireless terminal having a determining means for determining whether to do.

[0012] The present invention that achieves the above object is a wireless communication system, comprising: quality information acquisition means for acquiring communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network; and the predetermined wireless communication network A determination means for determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can be connected, and a determination result of the determination means And a determination result of the connection via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network, and a server having a means for transmitting to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network And a wireless terminal having means for connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the determination result of the connection.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a server that manages wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and acquires communication quality information related to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network. Among the acquisition means to perform and the base station in the predetermined wireless communication network, Means for transmitting communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can be connected to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a server that manages wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and acquires communication quality information related to the communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network. And determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can be connected, among the base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network And determining means for transmitting the determination result of the determining means to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and communication quality information of a base station of a predetermined wireless communication network is stored in a wireless terminal other than the predetermined wireless communication network. It comprises means for receiving via a communication network, and judgment means for judging the power to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information.

[0016] The present invention that achieves the above object is a wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and determines whether or not a predetermined wireless communication network can be connected to a base station other than the predetermined wireless communication network. It has a means to receive via a wireless communication network, and a means to connect to the said predetermined | prescribed wireless communication network based on the said connection possibility judgment.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a wireless communication method that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected. And determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information.

[0018] The present invention for achieving the above object is a wireless communication method connectable to two or more wireless communication networks, and communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected. Acquiring via a communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network, and determining, based on the communication quality information, the force with which the wireless terminal connects to the predetermined wireless communication network. It is characterized by having. The present invention that achieves the above object is a server program for managing wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and includes communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network. The process of acquiring and communication quality information of a base station connectable to the wireless terminal among the base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network via the wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network It is characterized by causing the server to execute the process of transmitting to the server.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a server program for managing a wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and includes communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network. And determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal is connectable among base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network And a process for transmitting the determination result to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a program of a wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, the communication quality information of a base station of the predetermined wireless communication network being used as the predetermined wireless communication network. The wireless terminal is caused to execute processing for receiving via a wireless communication network other than the above and processing for determining whether to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a program of a wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks, and determines whether or not to connect to a base station of a predetermined wireless communication network. The wireless terminal is caused to execute a process of receiving via a wireless communication network other than the communication network and a process of connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the determination as to whether or not connection is possible.

The present invention that achieves the above object is a base station apparatus in a radio communication system in which a radio terminal can connect to two or more radio communication networks, and the radio terminal connects to the predetermined radio communication network. The judging means for judging whether or not has a transmitting means for transmitting communication quality information relating to the communication quality of the base station.

[0024] The present invention that achieves the above object provides a wireless terminal that can connect to two or more wireless communication networks. A wireless communication network that determines whether the communication quality of the local station satisfies the communication quality required by the wireless terminal, and the determination result is different from the wireless communication network of the local station And means for transmitting to the wireless terminal via

The invention's effect

[0025] An effect of the present invention is that power saving on the terminal device side can be realized by effectively suppressing communication of a communication method with high power consumption such as a wireless LAN.

[0026] The first reason is that information on connectable wireless LAN base stations can be used instead of performing wireless LAN base station scanning by wireless LAN communication, which is a power burden for a terminal device performing wireless LAN communication or the like. This is because, for example, bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, and the like are acquired via the 3G network.

[0027] The second reason is that, in addition to information on connectable wireless LAN base stations, such as bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, etc., application information and remaining battery level information are added to ensure proper communication. This is because by selecting the network, communication with high power consumption, for example, wireless LAN communication can be minimized.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a radio system configuration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN base station apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN base station monitoring server device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a composite radio terminal apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an operation of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite wireless terminal when starting communication by selecting an access network in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite wireless terminal when communication is terminated in the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram showing operations in the composite wireless terminal device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a composite wireless terminal device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite radio terminal when starting communication by selecting an access network in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an operation of the composite radio terminal when communication is terminated in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a configuration of a composite wireless terminal apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the operation of the composite radio terminal when starting communication by selecting an access network in the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a configuration of a composite radio terminal apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the operation of the composite radio terminal when starting communication by selecting an access network in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN base station monitoring server device in a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a configuration of a composite wireless terminal device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN base station monitoring server device in a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless LAN base station apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of symbols

[0029] 102 3G network

103 Wireless LAN network

104 3G base station equipment

105 Wireless LAN base station monitoring server device

106 3G Senore

107, 108, 109 Wireless LAN base station equipment

110 Compound wireless terminal equipment

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0030] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [0031] The present invention provides a communication system that can be connected to two or more different wireless communication networks. The communication quality information of a base station of one wireless communication network is transmitted via another communication network different from the wireless communication network. It is obtained, and it is determined whether the wireless terminal should be connected to the wireless communication network based on the communication quality information. Note that the present invention can be applied to a communication system that can be connected to two or more different wireless communication networks. Preferably, the range that can be connected to the communication network is wide, but the data transfer speed is low. A communication network (hereinafter referred to as a wide area low speed wireless communication network) and a wireless communication network (hereinafter referred to as a narrow area high speed wireless communication network) that has a narrow range of connection to the communication network but has a high data transfer rate. It is preferable to apply it to a communication system in which In the following explanation, as examples of different wireless communication network systems, a wireless LAN network that is a typical narrow-area high-speed wireless communication network and a 3G network that is a typical wide-area low-speed wireless communication network are described. The force S explained by way of example is not limited to this. For example, Blue Tooth is a narrow-area high-speed wireless communication network, and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access: IEEE 80 2.16a), PHS, IEEE 802.20, and the like are wide-area low-speed wireless communication networks.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a wireless communication control system in the embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the wireless communication control system in the embodiment includes a composite wireless terminal device 110 capable of communicating with both the 3G network 102 and the wireless LAN network 103, and wireless LAN base station devices 107, 108, 109, 3G base station device 104 and wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105.

The composite wireless terminal device 110 exists in both the 3G cell 106 range and the wireless LAN base station cells 111 and 112 range. The composite wireless terminal device 110 can be connected to the wireless LAN network 103 via the wireless LAN base stations 107 and 108, and can be connected to the 3G network 102 via the 3G base station device 104.

[0034] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 can communicate with the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 in the 3G cell 106 range, and also monitors the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109. . Further, the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 can communicate with the composite wireless terminal device 110 via the 3G base station 104.

<Description of configuration of wireless LAN base station apparatuses 107 to 109> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN base station apparatuses 107 to 109 according to the present invention.

[0036] The wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 include their own base station information in addition to an interface function unit 202 to an external network and a wireless LAN base station communication function unit 203, which are normal wireless LAN base station function units 201. It has a storage unit 204 and a communication function unit 205 that communicates with the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device.

[0037] The own base station information storage unit 204 obtains the position, bandwidth occupation status (communication quality information), base station information necessary for connection to the own station, etc., of the wireless LAN base station communication function unit 20 And it memorizes as own base station information. Note that the location of the base station is not required if it is already registered in the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105. Then, the own base station information is notified to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the communication function unit 205 with the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105. Communication between the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is performed via the Internet 101. The access network at that time is 3G network, wireless LAN network, wired Network, etc. can be considered.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 according to the present invention.

Yes

[0038] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 has two function units, a communication function unit 301 with a 3G network 102 and a communication function unit 302 with a wireless LAN base station device, as communication functions. A wireless LAN base station information storage unit 303 including a unit 306, a terminal location information detection unit 307, a wireless LAN base station location information storage unit 304, and a wireless LAN base station band information storage unit 305;

[0039] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 uses the communication function section 302 with the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 in FIG. LAN base station information, for example, location information of wireless LAN base stations, bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, etc. is acquired, and wireless LAN base station location information storage unit 304 of wireless LAN base station information storage unit 303, It is stored in the wireless LAN base station band information storage unit 305. The information stored in the wireless LAN base station information storage unit is limited to the location and bandwidth information of the wireless LAN base station. Absent.

[0040] Terminal position information detection section 307 detects position information of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 via communication function section 301 with a 3G network. The wireless LAN base station search unit 306 acquires the position information of the composite wireless terminal device 110 from the terminal position information detection unit 307, and uses the information and the wireless LAN base station information acquired from the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 304. By comparison, the wireless LAN base station of the 3G cell 106 around the corresponding composite wireless terminal 110 is searched. The presence / absence of wireless LAN base stations in the vicinity of the corresponding composite wireless terminal device 110, and information on the wireless LAN base stations, if any, such as location, bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, etc. via the Internet 101 To the composite wireless terminal device 110. At that time, the communication between the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is performed via the Internet 101. At that time, the access network is the 3G network 102, the wireless LAN network 103, the wired Means such as a network are conceivable. When communication is performed on the 3G network 102, the communication function unit 301 with the 3G network and the communication function unit 302 with the wireless LAN base station device are the same. It should be noted that the Internet 101 does not necessarily need to be the so-called The Internet, and there is no problem even if it is a different type of network such as a dedicated line provided by a communication carrier. Further, the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 can also be arranged at a position connected to the 3G network 102 or the wireless LAN network 103 rather than arranged at a position connected to the Internet 101.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 according to the present invention.

[0041] The composite wireless terminal device 110 includes a wireless LAN communication function unit 401 and a 3G communication function unit 402.

Yes

[0042] Also, an application function unit 403 is provided. Application function unit in the present invention

403 is a functional unit that serves as an interface between a communication network and an end user or application software, and inputs and outputs transmission / reception packets. For example, it refers to a Web application or a voice application.

[0043] As a function unit related to communication network selection, a communication start trigger determination unit 404, a wireless LAN connection determination unit 405, a wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406, a wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407, a terminal level A position detection function unit 408 and a data control unit 409 as a function unit for data control during communication are provided.

The communication start trigger determination unit 404 receives information such as the activation of an application related to the communication start from the application function unit 403 and determines the communication start.

[0045] Terminal position detection section 408 detects the position of the terminal itself. There are a method for acquiring the force GPS information, which is a method for detecting the position of the own terminal, and a method for identifying the position of the own terminal based on the cell information where the own terminal is located.

[0046] The wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 receives the communication start notification from the communication start trigger determination unit 404 and acquires the wireless LAN base station information to the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 in order to determine the wireless LAN connection. Make a request.

Upon receiving the request, the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 acquires the position of the own terminal detected by the terminal position detection unit 408, and transmits the position information of the own terminal via the 3G communication function unit 402. 3 is notified to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 3. On the other hand, the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 receives information on the wireless LAN base station from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105, for example, the location information of the wireless LAN base station, the bandwidth occupation status, and the base station information necessary for connection. , Etc. are acquired via the 3G communication function unit 402 and stored in the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406.

[0048] Wireless LAN connection determination section 405 acquires information from wireless LAN base station information storage section 406 and terminal position detection function section 408, and determines whether or not to select a wireless LAN as a communication network. In connection with the determination of the connection, the required communication quality allowed for connecting the wireless LAN may be stored in advance in the wireless lan connection determination unit 405, and the determination may be made based on the required communication quality. In addition, as described later, the required communication quality is actively created taking into account the application to be used (Web application and audio application) and other factors, and the connection is made based on this required communication quality! / It ’s okay to make a decision.

[0049] After determining the communication network, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 notifies the data control unit 409 of the determination result.

[0050] The data control unit 409 is located between the application function unit 403 and the selected communication function unit 401, 402, and is communicating after acquiring the selected connection network from the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405. Packets are exchanged between the application function unit 403 and the selected communication function unit when sending and receiving. Here, a frame having information necessary for communication control in data Regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110, transmission and reception may always be performed via the 3G network 102.

With reference to the configuration of the wireless communication control system in FIG. 1, the overall operation of each device when wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network in the present embodiment will be described.

Each of the wireless LAN base station devices 107 under the monitoring of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the wireless LAN base station information of the own base station. Communication between the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is performed via the Internet 101. At that time, the access network is the 3G network 102, the wireless LAN network 103, and the wired network. Etc. are considered.

[0052] Here, the wireless LAN base station information is necessary when the composite wireless terminal 110 tries to connect to the corresponding wireless LAN base station, for example, the location information of the own base station, the band occupation status, etc. Information. With regard to bandwidth occupancy information, the wireless LAN standard 802.11 already defines the number of retransmissions for each terminal, which is an indicator of the communication status of the wireless LAN base station. In 802.1 le, the parameter element QBSS Load element defines Station Count, Channel Utilization, Available Admission Capacity X).

[0053] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that is about to start communication requests wireless LAN base station information of the connectable wireless LAN base station device 107. At that time, the composite wireless terminal device 110 may notify the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the location information of its own terminal via the 3G base station 104, or the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device. 105 can also notify the corresponding composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 of wireless LAN base station information around the corresponding composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 based on the position information.

[0054] Based on the information obtained from the composite wireless terminal device 110 that has requested information, the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 determines whether there is a connectable base station device, and if there is a wireless LAN base The station information is notified via the 3G network 102. The composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 that has received the wireless LAN base station information determines whether to connect to the wireless LAN network 103 from the wireless LAN base station information. [0055] Even if there is a connectable wireless LAN base station, if it is estimated that the required communication quality cannot be ensured due to a high bandwidth ratio, the 3G network 102 is not connected to the wireless LAN network 103. Select. When the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network, the composite wireless terminal device 110 activates a wireless LAN transmission / reception function. Thereafter, it belongs to the desired wireless LAN base station apparatus 107 and starts wireless LAN communication. When a series of transmission / reception ends, the attribution with the wireless LAN base station device 107 is canceled, the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is deactivated, and the communication returns to the normal 3G network 102 only. Here, a frame having information necessary for communication control in the data may always be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

Next, referring to the configuration diagram of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 in FIG. 4, the internal operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from the detection of the communication start trigger to the start of communication after selecting the connection network is described. And will be described in detail.

First, the communication start trigger determination unit 404 detects a communication start trigger from the application function unit 403. The communication start trigger determining unit 404 notifies the wireless LAN connection determining unit 405 of the start of communication.

The wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 acquires connectable wireless LAN base station information via the 3G communication function unit 402 and stores it in the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406. At that time, the terminal location detection unit 408 detects the location of the terminal itself, notifies the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 of the location information, and obtains information on only the wireless LAN base station devices located in the vicinity from the location of the terminal itself. You may get it.

Subsequently, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 also acquires the information of the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406 and determines whether or not to connect to the wireless LAN network 103. The determined connection network is notified to the data control unit 409.

When the wireless LAN network 103 is selected, the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 activates the wireless LAN transmission / reception function here. The communicating application function unit 403 does not exchange packets directly with the wireless LAN communication function unit 401, and the data control unit 409 performs transmission / reception via the wireless LAN communication function unit.

[0061] If the wireless LAN network 103 is not selected as an access network, Unit 409 transmits and receives frames via 3G communication function unit 402.

In the above description, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 determines an access network using wireless LAN base station information and terminal location information as judgment materials. However, the composite wireless terminal device 110 notifies the required communication quality and terminal location information to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402, and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 notifies the wireless LAN base station. The information may be part of the function of selecting the access network to which the corresponding composite wireless terminal device 110 is connected from the terminal location information.

[0063] In the present embodiment as described above, wireless LAN base station information connectable via the 3G network 102 can be obtained instead of the scan connected to the wireless LAN network 103 before communication. Power consumption by scanning connected to wireless LAN communication can be reduced. If there is no connectable wireless LAN base station, or there is not enough available bandwidth even if it exists, communication is performed using the 3G network 102. Therefore, by using a wireless LAN as an access network only when there is a connectable wireless LAN base station and there is sufficient bandwidth, power consumption due to wireless LAN communication during communication can be minimized. It is possible. When a series of communications are completed, the activation of the wireless LAN transceiver is canceled, so that unnecessary power consumption during activation can be suppressed.

Example 1

[0064] Next, Example 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Example 1 corresponds to the first embodiment described above.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of the overall operation of each device until the wireless LAN network 103 is selected and communication is terminated in response to a communication start trigger.

Each of the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 under the monitoring of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the wireless LAN base station information of the own base station. (S101-S103). At that time, communication between the wireless LAN base station device 107 ^ 109 and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is performed via the Internet 101. At that time, the access network is the 3G network 102, the wireless LAN network 103, and so on. , Wired, etc.

Yes

[0067] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that is about to start communication uses its wireless terminal's location information as a wireless LAN. Notify the base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G base station device 104, and request the wireless LAN base station information of the connectable wireless LAN base stations located around the composite wireless terminal device 110 (S104- S105).

[0068] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 determines whether or not there is a base station device that can be connected based on information obtained from the composite wireless terminal device 110 that has requested information, and if there is, information on the wireless LAN base station. To the composite wireless terminal device 110 via the 3G network 102 (S106, S107). Here, the notified wireless LAN base station information includes the position of the wireless LAN base station, the band occupation status of the wireless LAN base station, and the base station information necessary for connection. The bandwidth occupancy status includes the average number of retransmissions and QBSS Load (Station Count, Channel Utilization, Medium Time remaining).

[0069] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that has received the wireless LAN base station information determines whether to connect to the wireless LAN from the wireless LAN base station information. Even if there is a connectable wireless LAN base station, if it is estimated that the required communication quality cannot be ensured by judging the bandwidth occupancy status, the wireless LAN network 103 is not connected and the communication is performed via the 3G network 102. Select that. The connection decision is based on the bandwidth occupancy status.For example, if the bandwidth occupancy status information is the average value of the number of retransmissions, the default value of the number of retransmissions means that the media is stable if it is 3 or less. Judge and determine the connection to the wireless LAN. Also, if the information about the bandwidth occupancy status is Station Count and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11b, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined if there are 5 or less connected terminals. Also, if the information about the bandwidth occupancy status is Station Count and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11g, if the number of connected terminals is 15 or less, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined. Also, if the information on the bandwidth occupancy status is Channel Utilization, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined if it is 50% or less.

[0070] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that has selected the wireless LAN network 103 as the access network activates the wireless LAN transmission / reception function (S108).

[0071] Thereafter, a desired wireless LAN base station device 107 is detected through transmission of a Probe request frame and reception of a Probe request frame (S109, S110), and wireless LAN communication is started (SI 11, S112). [0072] Upon completion of a series of transmission / reception, the association with the wireless LAN base station (number) is canceled by transmission / reception of the DeAssociation frame (S113), the activation of the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is canceled (S114), and normal 3G Return to communication on network 102 only. Here, communication related to information necessary for communication control may always be performed via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

Next, regarding the operation in which the composite wireless terminal device 110 of the first embodiment selects an access network and starts communication, refer to the flowchart in FIG. 6 and the configuration diagram of the composite wireless terminal device 110 in FIG. And will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from the trigger for starting communication to the start of communication from the access network selection determination at that time.

[0074] First, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 uses a user application activation as a communication start trigger, and starts a communication network selection procedure (step A101). Then, the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 acquires the position information of the own terminal and notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server apparatus 105 of the position information of the own terminal via the 3G network 102 (step A102). Then, information on connectable wireless LAN base stations, such as bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, etc. is received (step A103). The bandwidth information in the wireless LAN base station information received here is not limited as long as it is a parameter related to bandwidth control, such as the number of retransmissions addressed to each terminal device and the number of belonging terminals.

Next, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 determines whether there is a wireless LAN base station that can be connected by wireless LAN base station information that can be attributed from wireless LAN base station information (step A104).

[0076] If there is no wireless LAN base station to which the user can belong, communication via the 3G network 102 is performed without selecting the wireless LAN network 103 as the connection network (step A106).

On the other hand, if there is a wireless LAN base station to which it can belong, it is determined from the band information or the like how much the wireless LAN feature can be utilized (step A105). For example, even if there is a connectable wireless LAN base station, the bandwidth occupancy rate is high! / In this case, the quality cannot be ensured! /. The power to select a connection S, and when it can be predicted that the communication quality can be secured with a low bandwidth occupancy rate, the connection to the wireless LAN network 103 is selected.

[0078] When the composite wireless terminal device 110 selects communication via wireless LAN, Activating the wireless LAN communication transmission / reception function (step A107), and detecting and belonging to the connectable wireless LAN base station notified from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 in advance (steps A108 to 110) Then, communication is performed using the wireless LAN network 103 as an access network (Step Al l 1). Here, a frame having information necessary for communication control as data may be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110.

Furthermore, the operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 at the end of communication will be described using FIG.

[0080] The composite wireless terminal device 110 receives a communication termination trigger from the application function unit 403 (step A201), cancels attribution with the wireless LAN base station device 107 (A202), and cancels activation of the wireless LAN transmission / reception function. (Step A203).

Here, the operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from the start of communication to the selection of a connected network until the start of communication will be described in detail. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of the internal operation of the composite wireless terminal device 110 from the start of communication to the start of communication until the start of communication, and shows the case where the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network.

First, the application function unit 403 notifies the communication start trigger determination unit 404 of a communication start trigger (S201).

[0083] Communication start trigger determination unit 404 notifies wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of communication start (S20).

2).

[0084] The wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 determines whether to connect to the wireless LAN.

N base station information detection unit 407 is requested to acquire wireless LAN base station information (S203).

Terminal position detection section 408 detects the position of the terminal itself, and notifies the wireless LAN base station information detection section 407 of the position information (S204).

The wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 notifies the location information from the terminal location detection unit 408 to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402 (S205).

Further, the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 acquires connectable wireless LAN base station information from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402 (S206),

The data is stored in the LAN base station information storage unit 406 (S207).

[0088] Wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 obtains the information from wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406. Then, it is determined whether or not to connect to the wireless LAN network 103 (S208). The determination result is notified to the data control unit 409 (S209).

Here, when the wireless LAN communication is selected, the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 activates the wireless LAN transmission / reception function. At the time of transmission, the application function unit 403 passes the packet to the data control unit 409 without directly passing the packet to the wireless LAN communication function unit 401 (S210), and performs transmission via the wireless LAN communication function unit 401 (S211). Upon reception, the data control unit 409 receives a packet from the wireless lan communication function unit 401 (S212), and the data control unit 409 passes the packet to the application function unit 403 (S213).

On the other hand, when the wireless LAN network 103 is not selected as the access network, the data control unit 409 transmits / receives a frame via the 3G communication function unit 402. Here, communication related to information necessary for communication control may always be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

[0091] A second embodiment will be described.

[0092] In the second embodiment, when the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 in the first embodiment described above selects a communication network, the application information is determined as V in addition to the wireless LAN base station information. It is the form which added the point to do.

FIG. 9 shows composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 according to the second embodiment. Referring to FIG. 9, the difference is that the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has an application information storage unit 901.

The application function unit 403 in the present embodiment stores the application information in the application information storage unit 901 when the application is activated. Here, the application information includes, for example, an application type and a communication packet capacity. When determining whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as the access network, the wireless LAN connection determining unit 405 adds the application information storage unit 90 beam application information in addition to the wireless LAN base station information in the first embodiment. To get.

[0095] Next, of the operations in the composite wireless terminal device 110 related to connection network selection in the second embodiment, the differences from the first embodiment will be described in detail.

[0096] First, the communication start trigger determination unit 404 starts the communication start trigger from the application function unit 403. Is detected. When the communication start trigger is detected, the communication start trigger determination unit 404 notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of the communication start.

On the other hand, the application function unit 403 stores application information in the application information storage unit 901. This information is notified to the application information storage unit 90 beam wireless LAN connection determination unit 405.

[0099] As in the first embodiment, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 uses the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 400 as a reference for determining whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as an access network. Get LAN base station information. Further, wireless LAN connection determining section 405 in the present embodiment determines whether wireless LAN network 103 is selected as an access network for communication by the application based on the notified application information and wireless LAN base station information. Make a decision. When taking advantage of the characteristics of the wireless LAN, such as when there is a wireless LAN base station capable of ensuring the quality required by the application information, the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network. On the other hand, when the characteristics of the wireless LAN cannot be utilized, the 3G network 102 is selected as the access network.

[0100] Here, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 determines an access network using wireless LAN base station information, application information, and terminal location information as judgment materials. However, the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 notifies the required communication quality, application information, and terminal location information to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server apparatus 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402, and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server apparatus 105 It may also have a part of the function of selecting an access network to which the corresponding composite wireless terminal device 110 is connected from wireless LAN base station information, application information, and terminal location information.

[0101] Since application information differs for each application, the same procedure is performed when another application is activated and another communication is started during communication. Therefore, the same Sometimes there is a state where both the 3G network 102 and the wireless LAN network 103 are connected.

[0102] Further, communication related to information necessary for communication control may always be performed via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110. All applications are supported. When communication is completed, the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is deactivated, and communication returns to normal 3G network 102 only.

[0103] Thus, in the second embodiment, in addition to connectable wireless LAN base station device information, application information is added to the selection determination material, so that the connection network can be appropriately determined. Communication via wireless LAN It is possible to minimize the power consumption, and the power saving effect during communication can be expected.

[0104] In addition, it is possible to determine that the wireless LAN communication is not selected based only on the application information. In that case, the wireless LAN base station scan as in the first embodiment is performed. Since it is not necessary, the power consumption by scanning the wireless LAN base station can be reduced.

Example 2

[0105] Example 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Example 2 corresponds to the second embodiment.

[0106] With reference to the flowchart of FIG. 10 and the configuration diagram of the composite wireless terminal device 110 of FIG. 9, the composite wireless terminal device 110 of this embodiment selects an access network and starts communication in detail. Explain in detail. The flowchart of FIG. 10 shows the operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from the trigger for starting communication to the access network selection determination at that time to the start of communication.

First, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 receives a communication start trigger from application function unit 403 (step A301). Accordingly, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 acquires application information associated with communication from the application storage unit 901 (step A302), and determines whether or not wireless LAN communication is required for the application information (step A302). A303). For example, when the packet size is small, communication with a heavy wireless LAN is not performed, and communication with a wireless LAN is not performed except for a specific application. When wireless LAN communication is not performed, wireless LAN base station scanning is not performed and communication is performed via the 3G network (step A309). [0108] If the packet is a large size or if the application is costly in communication with the 3G network 102, it is determined that communication connected to the wireless LAN network 103 is necessary. If wireless LAN is selected, a value corresponding to the required bandwidth occupancy is calculated from the corresponding application information (step 304). If the wireless LAN network 103 is already connected by communication corresponding to another application information at that time, the wireless LAN base station information of the wireless LAN base station to which it belongs is acquired and the request is satisfied. It is determined whether or not the communication can be performed (steps A305, 310, and 311).

[0109] For example, when the application type is a voice application, real-time performance is required. Therefore, an increase in the number of retransmissions causes deterioration in sound quality. Therefore, a threshold is set for the number of retransmissions, and when there is a wireless LAN base station apparatus with the number of retransmissions equal to or less than the threshold, communication is performed on the wireless LAN network 103. As an example, if the number of retransmissions is 2 or less, the wireless LAN network 103 is selected. On the other hand, if the application type is Web application and the number of retransmissions is 4 or less, select the wireless LAN network 103.

[0110] Also, if the application type is a voice application, the information capacity tation count of the bandwidth occupancy status, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11b, if there are 5 or less connected terminals, Determine the connection. On the other hand, if the application type is Web application, the bandwidth occupancy status information is Station Count, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.1 lb, the connection to the wireless LAN is possible if there are 7 or less connected terminals. Decide on the connection.

[0111] If the application type is a voice application, the information capacity tation count of the bandwidth occupancy status, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11g, if the number of connected terminals is 15 or less, the wireless LAN Determine the connection. On the other hand, if the application type is Web application, the bandwidth occupancy status information is Station Count, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.1lg, connection to the wireless LAN is possible if there are 20 or less connected terminals. To decide.

[0112] In addition, when the information on the bandwidth occupancy status is Channel Utilization and the application type is a voice application, the channel utilization is 50% or less. If the application type is a Web application and the Channel Utilization is 60% or less, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined.

[0113] As another example, a communication packet capacity threshold is set, and the wireless LAN base station only has a wireless LAN base station with a bandwidth that can withstand the requested size when the scheduled packet size is greater than the threshold. It is also possible to use such as selecting the communication. If the belonging wireless LAN base station information satisfies the request, communication corresponding to the corresponding application information is performed via the already belonging wireless LAN base station (A312).

[0114] If it is determined from the wireless LAN base station information of the belonging wireless LAN base station that the request is not satisfied, the wireless LAN base station information is acquired from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G network 102. (Step A307). Here, the location information of the terminal itself may be detected and notified to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 (A306).

[0115] If there is a wireless LAN base station that satisfies the request from the acquired wireless LAN base station information (A308), the wireless LAN base station performs detection and attribution of the desired wireless LAN base station in the same manner as in Example 1. Communication corresponding to the corresponding application information is started (A313 A318).

Next, the operation when the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 connected to the wireless LAN network ends communication will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

[0117] The composite wireless terminal device 110 receives a communication termination trigger from the application function unit 403 (step A401), and when communication corresponding to other application information is performed on the wireless LAN! A402), the association with the wireless LAN base station device 107 is canceled (A403), and the activation of the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is canceled (step A404).

[0118] On the other hand, when communication corresponding to other application information is performed by wireless LAN, communication corresponding to the application information being communicated without canceling the belonging to the wireless LAN base station to which it belongs. Wait for the end trigger.

[0119] A third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0120] The third embodiment uses the remaining battery level in addition to the wireless LAN base station information when selecting the communication network of the composite wireless terminal device 110 in the first and second embodiments described above. This is a form in which points to be judged are added.

Referring to FIG. 12, the composite wireless terminal device 110 according to the third embodiment is shown in FIG. The remaining battery level calculation unit 1 is included in the configuration of the composite wireless terminal device 110 according to the first embodiment.

It differs in having 201.

[0122] The remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 calculates the remaining battery level of its own terminal, and notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of it. The communication start trigger determining unit 404 or the wireless LAN connection determining unit 406 may notify the battery remaining amount calculating unit 1201 of the timing for calculating the battery remaining amount. In FIG. 12, the communication start trigger judgment unit 404 notifies the user. In the same way as in the first embodiment, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 determines whether to select the wireless LAN network 103 as an access network in addition to the wireless LAN base station information and also to determine the remaining battery level. Determine whether.

Next, the operation in the third embodiment will be described. In the following description of the operation, the operation in the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 related to connection network selection will be described in detail with a focus on differences from the first embodiment.

[0125] The wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 acquires connectable wireless LAN base station information via the 3G communication function unit 402, and stores it in the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406. At that time, the terminal location detection unit 408 detects the location of the terminal itself, notifies the wireless LAN base station information detection unit 407 of the location information, and obtains information on only the wireless LAN base station devices located in the vicinity from the location of the terminal itself. You may get it.

Receiving the communication start notification, the remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 calculates the remaining battery level of its own terminal and notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of the calculated value.

[0127] As in the first embodiment, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 uses the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 400 as a reference for determining whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as an access network. Get LAN base station information. Then, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 determines whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as the access network in consideration of the remaining battery level in addition to the AN base station information, and resists wireless LAN communication. The wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network only when the remaining battery level is high.

[0128] Note that here, the composite wireless terminal device 110 has wireless LAN base station information, remaining battery power, The access network was determined based on the location information. However, the composite wireless terminal device 110 notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402 of the required communication quality, remaining battery capacity, and terminal location information, and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 In addition, a part of the function of selecting the access network to which the corresponding composite wireless terminal device 110 is connected from the wireless LAN base station information, the remaining battery level, and the terminal location information may be taken.

[0129] The operation after selecting the connection network and terminating the communication is the same as in the first embodiment. Here, communication related to information necessary for communication control may always be performed via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of the wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110.

[0130] In the third embodiment as described above, in addition to the connectable wireless LAN base station apparatus information, the remaining battery level is added to the access network selection judgment material, thereby avoiding battery exhaustion during communication. The power to do S.

Example 3

[0131] Example 3 will be described with reference to the drawings. Example 3 corresponds to the third embodiment.

[0132] With reference to the flowchart of FIG. 13 and the configuration diagram of the composite wireless terminal device 110 of FIG. 12, the composite wireless terminal device 110 of the present embodiment selects an access network and starts communication. The differences from Example 1 are explained in detail. FIG. 12 is a flowchart of the operation of the composite wireless terminal device 110 from acquisition of a communication start trigger to access network selection determination and communication start.

First, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 receives a communication start trigger from application function section 403 (step A501). Accordingly, the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 calculates the remaining battery level by the remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 (step A502). Then, the composite wireless terminal device 110 recognizes its own location information and notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G network 102, and information on connectable wireless LAN base stations, for example, bandwidth occupancy status, connection The base station information necessary for communication is received (steps A503 and A504).

Next, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 determines whether there is a connectable wireless LAN base station based on wireless LAN base station information that can be assigned from wireless LAN base station information (step A505). If there is no wireless LAN base station that can be returned, a wireless LAN network Communicate via the 3G network 102 without selecting the network 103 (step A507).

[0135] If there is a wireless LAN base station apparatus to which it can belong, it is determined from the band information or the like whether the wireless LAN characteristics can be utilized (step A506). For example, a determination method may be considered in which a minimum battery level is set for each number of terminals belonging to a wireless LAN base station, and the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network only when the remaining battery level is higher. It is done. If the remaining battery level is below the required value! /, Select 3G network 102 as the access network (step A507).

[0136] For example, when the application type is a voice application, if the number of retransmissions is 2 or less, the wireless LAN network 103 is selected if the remaining battery level is 70% or more, and the number of retransmissions is 3 or less. If the remaining battery level is 80% or more, select the wireless LAN network 103. If the number of retransmissions is 4 or less, select the wireless LAN network 103 if the remaining battery level is 90%. On the other hand, when the application type is Web application, if the number of retransmissions is 2 or less, the wireless LAN network 103 is selected if the remaining battery level is 40% or more, and if the number of retransmissions is 3 or less, the battery is selected. If the remaining capacity is 50% or more, select the wireless LAN network 103. If the remaining capacity is less than the number of retransmissions, select the wireless LAN network 103 if the remaining battery capacity is greater.

[0137] When the remaining battery level satisfies the required value, the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network, and the communication belongs to the wireless LAN base station and starts communication (steps A508 to A512).

[0138] The operation for terminating communication is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0139] A fourth embodiment will be described.

The fourth embodiment is obtained by adding the application information storage unit 901 and its function in FIG. 9 in the third embodiment.

[0141] Referring to FIG. 14, the configuration of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 in the third embodiment shown in FIG. 9 is different in that application information storage section 901 is provided.

[0142] After the communication start trigger is detected by the communication start trigger determination unit 404, the application function unit stores the application information in the application information storage unit 901 and notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405. On the other hand, the remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 calculates the remaining battery level of its own terminal and notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of each. Wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 As in the first embodiment, in addition to the wireless LAN base station information, the application information and the remaining battery level are added to the determination materials, and it is determined whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as the access network.

Next, the operation of the fourth embodiment will be described. In the following description, the operation in the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 related to connection network selection will be described in detail with a focus on differences from the first embodiment.

First, the communication start trigger determining unit 404 detects a communication start trigger from the application function unit 403.

Communication start trigger determination unit 404 notifies wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of the start of communication.

—On the other hand, the application function unit 403 stores the application information in the application information storage unit 901. This information is notified to the application information storage unit 90 beam wireless LAN connection determination unit 405.

[0148] Further, upon receiving the communication start notification, the remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 calculates the remaining battery level of its own terminal and notifies the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of the calculated value.

[0149] As in the first embodiment, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 uses the wireless LAN base station information storage unit 406 as a criterion for determining whether or not to select the wireless LAN network 103 as an access network. Get station information. In addition, wireless LAN connection determining section 405 in the present embodiment determines whether to select wireless LAN network 103 as an access network in consideration of application information and remaining battery capacity in addition to wireless LAN base station information. . The wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network only when the remaining battery level can withstand the wireless LAN communication corresponding to the application information.

[0150] Here, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 determines the access network using wireless LAN base station information, application information, battery remaining amount, and terminal location information as judgment materials. But composite The wireless terminal device 110 notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the required communication quality, application information, battery remaining amount, and terminal location information to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G communication function unit 402, and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105. However, it may have a part of the function of selecting the access network to which the corresponding composite wireless terminal device 110 is connected from the wireless LAN base station information, application information, battery remaining amount, and terminal location information. Since application information varies from application to application, the same procedure is followed when another application is activated and another communication starts during communication. Therefore, there may be a state in which both the 3G network 102 and the wireless LAN network 103 are simultaneously connected. Here, communication relating to information necessary for communication control may always be performed via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

[0151] When the communication corresponding to all applications is completed, the activation of the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is canceled and the communication returns to the normal 3G network 102 only.

[0152] In the fourth embodiment as described above, in addition to connectable wireless LAN base station information, application information and the remaining battery level are added to the access network selection judgment material, thereby making the connection network more appropriate. Can be judged. As a result, it is possible to effectively suppress wireless LAN communications and to expect power saving effects during communications.

Example 4

Next, Embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Example 4 corresponds to the above-described fourth embodiment.

[0154] With reference to the flowchart in Fig. 15 and the configuration diagram of the composite radio terminal device 110 in Fig. 14, the details of the operation in which the composite radio terminal device 110 of the fourth embodiment selects an access network and starts communication will be described in detail. Explained. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the operation of composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 from the trigger for starting communication to the access network selection determination to the start of communication at that time.

First, composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 receives a communication start trigger from application function section 403 (step A501). Accordingly, the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 acquires application information associated with communication from the application storage unit 901 (step A502) and the remaining battery level from the remaining battery level calculation unit 1201 (step A503).

[0156] The battery level indicates whether the application information needs to be communicated via wireless LAN. (Step A504). For example, if the packet size is large, the power to take advantage of the features of high-speed wireless LAN S, and the power required for that communication cannot be withstood by the current battery level, so communication with a heavy wireless LAN Judgment is made such as not to perform.

[0157] Specifically, when the application type is a voice application, the information on the bandwidth occupancy status is Station Count, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11b, the number of connected terminals is 5 or less, and If the remaining battery level is 70% or more, determine the connection to the wireless LAN. If the number of connected terminals is 6 or less and the remaining battery level is 80% or more, determine the connection to the wireless LAN. . On the other hand, if the application type is Web application, the information about the bandwidth occupancy status is Station Count, and the wireless LAN connection standard is IEEE802.11b, the number of connected terminals is 5 or less and the remaining battery level is 4 If it is over 50%, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined. If there are 6 or less connected terminals and the remaining battery level is 50% or more, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined.

[0158] If the information on the bandwidth occupancy status is Channel Utilization, the application type is a voice application, Channel Utilization is 80% or less, and if the remaining battery capacity is 50% or more, the wireless LAN is used. If the application type is Web application and the channel utilization is 80% or less and the remaining battery level is 40% or more, the connection to the wireless LAN is determined.

[0159] If communication by wireless LAN is not performed, wireless LAN base station scanning is not performed and communication via the 3G network is performed (step A510). Also, connect to the wireless LAN network 103 if the packet size is large, or if the application is costly to communicate on the 3G network 102 and if the required battery level is secured. It is determined that the necessary communication is necessary.

[0160] When a wireless LAN is selected, a value corresponding to the required bandwidth occupancy is calculated from the corresponding application information (step 505). At that time, if the wireless LAN network 103 is already connected by communication corresponding to different application information, the wireless LAN base station information of the wireless LAN base station to which it belongs is acquired and communication satisfying the request is performed. Determine whether it can be performed (steps A506, 511, 512). The judgment method at this time is step A3 in Example 2. It is omitted here because it is the same as 05, 310, 311.

[0161] If the belonging wireless LAN base station information satisfies the request, communication corresponding to the application information is performed through the already belonging wireless LAN base station (A513).

[0162] If it is determined that the request is not satisfied from the wireless LAN base station information of the belonging wireless LAN base station, the wireless LAN base station information is acquired from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G network 102. (Step A508) Here, the location information of the own terminal may be detected and notified to the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105! /, (A507). If there is a wireless LAN base station that satisfies the request from the acquired wireless LAN base station information (A509), as in Example 1, the desired wireless LAN base station is detected and assigned, and the corresponding application by wireless LAN is assigned. Start communication corresponding to Yong information (Α51ΓΑ519).

[0163] The operation for terminating communication is the same as in the second embodiment.

A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0164] In the first to fourth embodiments described above, wireless LAN base station information, for example, wireless LAN base station position information, bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, etc., is used. The composite wireless terminal device 110 received from the local station monitoring server device 105, and it was determined whether the composite wireless terminal device 110 was connected to the wireless LAN network. However, it is also possible to determine whether the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is connected to the wireless LAN network. Therefore, in the fifth embodiment, a mode in which the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 determines whether to connect to a wireless LAN network will be described. Detailed description of the same configurations as those of the first to fourth embodiments described above will be omitted.

First, the configuration of the wireless communication control system to which the fifth embodiment is applied is the same as that shown in FIG. The configuration of each of the wireless LAN base station apparatuses 107 to 109 is the same as that in the first to fourth embodiments described above.

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0166] The difference from the above-described embodiment is that a wireless LAN connection determination unit 1405 is provided! The This wireless LAN connection determination unit 1405 receives wireless LAN base station information from the wireless LAN base station search unit 306, for example, location, bandwidth occupancy status, base station information necessary for connection, and the like. The same operation as the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 of the composite wireless terminal device 110 in FIG. That is, when a communication start trigger (including terminal location information and required communication quality) is received from composite wireless terminal apparatus 110, it is determined whether composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 can be connected to wireless LAN network 103 or not. Then, the determination result of whether or not connection is possible is transmitted to the composite wireless terminal device 110 via the 3G network 102.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the configuration of the composite radio terminal apparatus 110 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0167] The difference from the above-described embodiment is that the data control unit 409 provided by the wireless LAN connection determination unit 405 determines whether or not a wireless LAN connection is possible from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105. The packet is exchanged between the application function unit 403 and the selected communication function unit. Here, a frame having data necessary for communication control in the data may always be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of the wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110.

[0168] Further, it has a required communication quality transmission unit 500, and this required communication quality transmission unit 500 also transmits information such as required communication quality, application information, and remaining battery level at the time of trigger transmission of communication start.

Next, the overall operation of each device when the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network in this embodiment will be described.

[0169] Each of the wireless LAN base station devices 107 under the monitoring of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the wireless LAN base station information of the own base station. Communication between the wireless LAN base station devices 107 to 109 and the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is performed via the Internet 101. At that time, the access network is the 3G network 102, the wireless LAN network 103, and the wired network. Etc. are considered.

[0170] Here, the wireless LAN base station information includes, for example, location information of the own base station, bandwidth occupancy status, Such information is necessary when the composite wireless terminal 110 tries to connect to the corresponding wireless LAN base station. With regard to bandwidth occupancy information, the wireless LAN standard 802.11 already defines the number of retransmissions for each terminal, which is an indicator of the communication status of the wireless LAN base station. In 802.1 le, the parameter element QBSS Load element defines Station Count, Channel Utilization, Available Admission Capacity X).

[0171] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that is about to start communication notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 of the location information of the terminal itself, the required communication quality, etc. via the 3G base station 104. The station monitoring server device 105 acquires the presence / absence of a connectable base station device based on the information obtained from the composite wireless terminal device 110, and the wireless LAN base station information if it exists.

[0172] The wireless LAN connection determination unit 1405 of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 may not be able to ensure the required communication quality such as a high bandwidth occupancy even if there is a connectable wireless LAN base station. If it is presumed, the 3G network 102 is selected without connecting to the wireless LAN network 103, and the result is transmitted to the composite wireless terminal device 110 via the 3G network 102. On the other hand, when the wireless LAN network 103 is selected as the access network, the result and the wireless LAN base station information necessary for connection are transmitted to the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 via the 3G network 102.

[0173] The composite wireless terminal device 110 receives the result of whether or not the wireless LAN network 103 can be connected, and if it can connect to the wireless LAN network 103, based on the wireless LAN base station information necessary for the received connection, Activate the wireless LAN transmission / reception function. Thereafter, it belongs to the desired wireless LAN base station device 107 and starts wireless LAN communication. When a series of transmission / reception ends, the belonging to the wireless LAN base station device 107 is canceled, the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is released, and the communication returns to the normal 3G network 102 only. Here, a frame having information necessary for communication control as data may be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

[0174] In this way, the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 determines whether or not the wireless LAN network 103 can be connected, and the composite wireless terminal device 110 connects to the wireless LAN network 103 based on the result. By operating so that only the operation is performed, the composite wireless terminal device 110 is operated. Configuration is simpler, and the ability required to process connection determination is no longer required.

A sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the first to fourth embodiments described above, it is determined whether the composite wireless terminal device 110 is connected to a wireless LAN network. In the fifth embodiment, a wireless LAN base station monitoring service is determined. A case has been described in which the wireless device 105 determines the connection of the composite wireless terminal device 110 to the wireless LAN network. However, the wireless LAN base station can also determine the connection of the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 to the wireless LAN network. Therefore, in the sixth embodiment, a mode will be described in which the wireless LAN base station determines connection of the composite wireless terminal device 110 to the wireless LAN network. Since composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 is the same as that of the fifth embodiment, only wireless LAN base station monitoring server apparatus 105 and wireless AN base station apparatuses 107 and 108 different from the other embodiments will be described. Also, with respect to other configurations, detailed description of the same configurations as those of the first to fifth embodiments described above will be omitted. <Description of Wireless LAN Base Station Monitoring Server Device 105>

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the configuration of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0176] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 is different from the above-described embodiment in that the wireless LAN base station search unit 306 connected by the wireless LAN base station band information storage unit 305 includes the terminal location information detection unit 307. From the detected location information of the composite wireless terminal device 110, a wireless LAN base station device to which the composite wireless terminal device 110 can be connected is selected, and the selected wireless LAN base station device (for example, the wireless LAN base station device 107, 108) is selected. On the other hand, the requested communication quality notified from the composite wireless terminal device 110 (including the terminal location information if necessary) is notified via the communication function unit 302.

[0177] Further, the wireless LAN base station search unit 306 sends the connection determination information from the wireless LAN base station device (for example, whether or not connection is possible and the wireless LAN base station information necessary for connection) via the communication function unit 302. To the composite wireless terminal device 110.

<Description of wireless LAN base station devices 107, 108, 109> FIG. 19 is a diagram showing the configuration of wireless LAN base station apparatuses 107, 108, and 109 according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0178] The wireless LAN base station apparatus 107, 108, 109 differs from the above-described embodiment in that it includes a local station connection determination unit 180. The local station connection determination unit 250 receives the requested communication quality from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105, and based on the local station information (bandwidth occupancy status) stored in the local base station information storage unit 204. Then, it is determined whether or not the own wireless LAN base station device can satisfy the required quality of the composite wireless terminal device 110. Then, the determination result is notified to the composite radio terminal device 110 via the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 and the 3G base station device 104.

[0179] The composite wireless terminal device 110 that is about to start communication notifies the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 via the 3G base station 104 of its own location information, requested communication quality, and the like.

[0180] The wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 determines and selects a connectable wireless LAN base station device based on the position information obtained from the composite wireless terminal device 110. The requested communication quality notified from the composite wireless terminal device 110 is notified to the selected wireless LAN base station device via the communication function unit 302.

[0181] The local station connection determination unit 250 of the wireless LAN base station device receives the required communication quality from the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105, and the local wireless LAN base station device satisfies the required quality of the composite wireless terminal device 110. When the wireless LAN base station information is determined to be connectable to the wireless LAN network 103, the wireless LAN base station information is sent to the composite wireless terminal device 110 via the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 and the 3G base station device 104. To notify. On the other hand, if the local station connection determination unit 250 of the wireless LAN base station devices 107 and 108 determines that the wireless LAN base station device cannot satisfy the required quality of the composite wireless terminal device 110! /, The composite wireless terminal device 110 is notified of the determination result not to connect to the wireless LAN network 103 via the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 and the 3G base station device 104.

[0182] The composite wireless terminal device 110 receives the result of whether or not the wireless LAN network 103 is connectable, If connection to the wireless LAN network 103 is possible, the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is activated based on the wireless LAN base station information necessary for the received connection. Thereafter, it belongs to the desired wireless LAN base station device 107 and starts wireless LAN communication. When a series of transmission / reception ends, the belonging to the wireless LAN base station device 107 is canceled, the wireless LAN transmission / reception function is released, and the communication returns to the normal 3G network 102 only. Here, a frame having information necessary for communication control as data may be transmitted / received via the 3G network 102 regardless of the state of wireless LAN communication in the composite wireless terminal device 110.

[0183] In this way, the wireless LAN base station apparatus determines whether or not the wireless LAN network 103 can be connected, and the composite wireless terminal apparatus 110 performs only the connection operation to the wireless LAN network 103 based on the result. As a result, the configuration of the wireless LAN base station monitoring server device 105 and the composite wireless terminal device 110 becomes simpler, and the capability required for the process for determining whether or not connection is possible is also unnecessary.

It should be noted that the processing unit of each embodiment described above is configured by an information processing apparatus that operates according to a program.

[0185] The present application (until 15 August 2006, filed with Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-221368, filed on August 15, 2006), and claims the priority thereof, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein.

Claims

The scope of the claims

[1] A wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Obtaining means for obtaining communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected;

Determining means for determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information;

A wireless communication system comprising:

[2] A wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Obtaining means for obtaining communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected, via a communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A wireless communication system comprising:

[3] The predetermined communication network is a narrow-area high-speed wireless communication network, and the communication network through which the communication quality information is routed is a wide-area low-speed wireless communication network. The wireless communication system described.

4. The wireless communication system according to claim 3, wherein the narrow-area high-speed wireless communication network is a wireless LAN network, and the wide-area low-speed wireless communication network is a 3G network.

[5] The acquisition means acquires, in addition to the communication quality information, position information regarding a position of a connectable base station and control information necessary for connection to the base station apparatus,

The determination unit determines whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the acquired position information, control information, and communication quality information.

The wireless communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein:

6. The wireless communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the communication quality information is base station bandwidth occupancy information.

[7] The wireless terminal has application information acquisition means for acquiring application information used for communication, 6. The determination unit according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on at least the application information and the communication quality information. A wireless communication system according to any one of the above.

[8] It has a battery remaining amount acquisition means for acquiring a battery remaining amount of the wireless terminal,

The determination unit determines whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on at least the remaining battery level and the communication quality information.

The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication system is a wireless communication system.

[9] A wireless communication system,

Acquisition means for acquiring communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network;

Means for transmitting communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal is connectable among base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A server having

Receiving communication quality information of a base station in the predetermined wireless communication network via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network, and connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information Judgment means to judge whether

A wireless terminal having

A wireless communication system comprising:

[10] A wireless communication system,

Quality information acquisition means for acquiring communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network;

Determining means for determining whether or not the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal is connectable among base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network; ,

Means for transmitting the determination result of the determination means to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A server having A wireless terminal having means for receiving the connection determination result via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network, and connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the connection determination result;

A wireless communication system comprising:

[11] The wireless terminal has means for acquiring position information of the terminal itself and transmitting the position information to the server via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network.

The server includes means for selecting communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can connect based on position information of the wireless terminal.

11. The wireless communication system according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein:

[12] The server includes means for acquiring position information of the wireless terminal and selecting communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can connect based on the position information of the wireless terminal.

12. The wireless communication system according to claim 9, wherein the wireless communication system is characterized in that

[13] A server that manages wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Obtaining means for obtaining communication quality information relating to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network;

The server characterized by having.

[14] A server for managing wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Means for transmitting the determination result of the determination means to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network; The server characterized by having.

[15] A wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Means for receiving communication quality information of a base station of a predetermined wireless communication network via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

Determining means for determining whether to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information;

A wireless terminal characterized by comprising:

[16] Has an application information acquisition means for acquiring application information used for communication.

The determination means determines whether to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on at least the application information and the communication quality information.

The wireless terminal according to claim 15, wherein:

[17] It has a battery level acquisition means for acquiring the battery level,

The wireless terminal according to claim 15 or claim 16, characterized in that:

[18] a location acquisition means for acquiring location information of the terminal;

Means for transmitting the position information to a server via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

The wireless terminal according to claim 15, comprising:

[19] A wireless terminal that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks,

Means for receiving a determination as to whether or not a predetermined wireless communication network can be connected to a base station via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A wireless terminal comprising: means for connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the determination as to whether or not connection is possible.

[20] Application information acquisition means for acquiring application information used for communication; means for transmitting the application information via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network; 20. The wireless terminal according to claim 19, characterized by comprising:

[21] It has a battery level acquisition means for acquiring the battery level,

Means for transmitting the remaining battery capacity via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

21. The wireless terminal according to claim 19 or claim 20, characterized by comprising:

[22] a location acquisition means for acquiring location information of the terminal;

The wireless terminal according to any one of claims 19 to 21, characterized by comprising:

[23] A wireless communication method connectable to two or more wireless communication networks,

Obtaining communication quality information regarding communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected;

Determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information! /

A wireless communication method comprising:

[24] A wireless communication method connectable to two or more wireless communication networks,

Acquiring communication quality information related to the communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network to which a wireless terminal can be connected via a communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network, and based on the communication quality information! / Determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network;

A wireless communication method comprising:

[25] A server program for managing wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks.

Processing for obtaining communication quality information related to communication quality of a base station in a predetermined wireless communication network; and

Of the base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network, communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal can be connected is transmitted via the wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network. Process to send to the terminal

A server program characterized by causing a server to execute.

[26] A server program for managing wireless terminals that can be connected to two or more wireless communication networks.

A process of determining whether the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network based on communication quality information of a base station to which the wireless terminal is connectable among base stations in the predetermined wireless communication network;

Processing for transmitting the determination result to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A server program characterized by causing a server to execute.

[27] A wireless terminal program capable of connecting to two or more wireless communication networks,

A process of receiving communication quality information of a base station of a predetermined wireless communication network via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

Determining whether to connect to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the communication quality information; and

A program for a wireless terminal, which causes a wireless terminal to execute.

[28] A wireless terminal program capable of connecting to two or more wireless communication networks,

A process of receiving a determination as to whether or not a predetermined wireless communication network can be connected to a base station via a wireless communication network other than the predetermined wireless communication network;

A program for a wireless terminal, which causes a wireless terminal to execute a process of connecting to the predetermined wireless communication network based on the determination of whether or not connection is possible.

[29] A base station apparatus in a wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can connect to two or more wireless communication networks,

A base station apparatus characterized in that the determination means for determining whether or not the wireless terminal is connected to the predetermined wireless communication network has a transmission means for transmitting communication quality information relating to the communication quality of the base station. A base station apparatus in a wireless communication system in which a wireless terminal can connect to two or more wireless communication networks,

Means for determining whether the communication quality of the local station satisfies the communication quality required by the wireless terminal and transmitting the determination result to the wireless terminal via a wireless communication network different from the wireless communication network of the local station A base station apparatus comprising: